


Redamancy

by dearest_sparksandstars



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Arranged Marriage, F/M, I’m bad at tagging, I’m sorry, Poe is a prince, Pregnancy, Rey Needs A Hug, Rey Skywalker, Rey as an actual Skywalker, Rey is the princess, Royal Court, Royalty AU, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:15:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23646001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dearest_sparksandstars/pseuds/dearest_sparksandstars
Summary: Redamancy:(n.) the act of loving the one who loves you; a love returned in full.Or, a sudden loss in the lives of the Naboo royalty leaves Rey with big shoes to fill, but also gives her a chance to grow closer to the man that she loves, the Prince from Yavin.
Relationships: Finn/Rose Tico, Poe Dameron/Rey
Comments: 18
Kudos: 51





	1. In a Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Ah yes, another Royalty AU. Why I keep writing these? I will never know. This is completely separate from my Journal+Threshold series (which hit a block after TROS came out) but it shares similar concepts. Rey is actually a Skywalker, she is Luke’s blood daughter in this one. Ben Solo isn’t a villain in this one (even though he annoys me I enjoy imaging him as a kind and good person), and yes there is a lot of angst. It seems that’s all I’m capable of writing right now. 
> 
> There is non-graphic depiction of vomiting, and references to sex in this chapter.

The throne room was alive with members of their court that morning. That fateful morning when everything changed. 

Outside, a storm raged, the snow and wind whipping against the window. This went much unnoticed by the people inside, however, the hearth warm and alive as people laughed, lively and joyful. 

Rey shared kind smiles with the people around her, but she stood alone with a cup of water, her cheeks flushed by the heat of the room. She wondered when the last time she had seen them like this had been. Certainly not since her father had gone away. The tiara she wore lay heavy on her head, heavier than she knew. 

Her father, King Luke Skywalker of Naboo, had departed nearly three months ago alongside a pair of her closest companions and a small group of soldiers to investigate threats on their borders. There were whispers on the wind on the radical group who wanted to reunite the now independent countries under the flag of the First Order, but they were a mere shadow of what the Empire had once been. Still, their promise of war to Naboo and its Ex-rebellion counterparts loomed over their heads. She wondered how long it would be before the sword fell, and one of their allies stabbed them in the back.

That being said, Rey wanted to fight, desperately so. She cares deeply about the people of her country, and innocent lives were, _are_ , at risk. But Luke wouldn’t have any of it. Despite her protests, Rey was left behind to tend to her duties as Princess and to keep the peace at court in their absence. 

A princess approaching coronation. A princess who was supposed to be wed at the end of the week, to a man who had volunteered to stand by her father’s side. 

They were a week late. She blinked slowly, feeling the weight on her shoulders grow greater at that thought. She wasn’t sure what she’d do if they never returned. She wasn’t sure she could bear he weight of the crown knowing that people she cared dearly about had died so that the rest of them knew what they were facing.

She took a long sip from her cup, and sighed shakily. She looked up as Ben called her name, and she smiled, the corners of her lips tight with the lie of peace in her stirring heart. He offered her a hand to dance, but she shook her head. He nodded with a kind smile, and turned away, much to her relief, towering over the rest of the noblemen in the room. She was afraid that he’d seen through her facade for a brief moment. There was hardly a time when he didn’t, but then again, he wasn’t perfect, and neither was she. That much was for sure. 

In those three months, much had changed. Autumn had turned to a harsh winter, and Luke’s sister, Leia had come to join them. Kes Dameron, the King of Yavin, had joined them, as well, and she craved the warmth of her home away from home as the cold crept in her bones. She hadn’t spent much time at court in the last month, despite Leia’s urges to keep appearances. The sickness had been overwhelming, but then again, it was no sickness at all. 

She placed a hand over her stomach when she was sure no one was looking and took a deep breath. Carefully chosen gowns hid the slight curve of her abdomen from the prying eye. With each passing day, it was growing more and more difficult to hide. 

Rose, the seamstress that Finn was enchanted by, had come by her rooms that morning to fit her wedding gown, and noticed that it hadn’t fit the way it did a few weeks before. Her handmaiden, Jannah, had taken note of how much more she had been eating since Luke, Finn and Poe had left. 

She wasn’t sure how she was going to tell Poe when she saw him again. (When, she assured herself.) Her face warmed in remembrance of the night they had spent in her rooms before the departure, skin slick with sweat and windows fogged by the hearth and the heat of their bodies. He didn’t say goodbye that morning, and some nights she lay awake wondering why. They had known each other, loved each other, for so long, that the sting of it felt unnatural.

She chuckled anxiously to herself; one night, a night of desperation and fear and _love_ , had created something already so loved. There was risk in it, though. The small coil of light and life knitting itself together inside her had the potential to destroy her at court if it is discovered too soon.

Poe Dameron was the Prince of Yavin, a neighboring kingdom, an ally of sorts. He had been tied to her since birth, promised her hand from the day she drew her first breath. They were lucky that they loved each other so; not all those who were betrothed from so young were as lucky as they were. At times, she had dreaded her marriage, longing for freedom and the right to her own choice. The pair tore at each other’s throats, and for a time, it seemed as though no one could break through the tension between them. When she was sixteen and he was nineteen, they watched his mother be taken by sickness. It was then that Rey finally started to see through him, through his cocky attitude, straight to his kind and loving heart. She wasn’t sure why, but she had stood by him then, and he continued to stand by her in the years that followed. Their arguments were still legendary at court, but after that they were tainted less by anger and disdain, instead warmed by flirtation and banter.

Oh how she missed him dearly, despite his reckless tendencies, he kept her grounded, and stood by her side when no one else would. 

She shook her head to herself as she moved towards the fireplace, handing her empty cup to a servant who smiled pleasantly at her. 

Leia looked up and smiled as Rey joined her, taking her hand and covering it with both of hers. The older woman looked reverently up at the young woman, only days past the age of 21. Leia wrapped a hand around her waist and pulled her close, into a warm embrace. She had practically raised Rey after her mother had disappeared, and Rey was grateful that this was the only woman who knew her secret. She knew that it would be well kept. 

Her eyes fell on the crackling fire, and watched the embers sizzle for a moment, something in the air shifts, and she pulls back.

When Leia looked up at her, there was something darker, sadder in her eyes, and Rey’s throat tightened with something akin to dread.

“What is it?” Rey asked her aunt quietly, and Leia’s eyes fell to the cobblestone floor with trepidation. Something was wrong. Leia opened her mouth and closed it again, obviously unsure of herself. Before Leia could answer, the door to the throne room swung open, and the crowd parted, and a page rushed towards them, a mass of footsteps trailing behind him.

“Your majesties,” the page whispered, still quite audible over the murmurs of the crowd. Ben joined them, eyes just as worried as she felt. “The King’s party has returned.”

A breath of relief choked out of her throat as she leaned on Ben, and as if on cue, the party turned the corner and stepped into the throne room. 

The room fell silent. 

Rey felt unsteady when she saw them, blanketed in snow, rugged and beaten. Poe’s eyes met hers, and she felt her breath catch again, warmth filling her for a moment before she caught wind of the sadness in his gaze. 

She studied him for a moment, as he pulled his eyes away from her, falling to his feet. His dark curls were long, tied back in a knot at the base of his neck, and he had grown a scruffy beard that both sculpted his handsome face. Even at the distance she stood, she could catch a glimpse of the dark circles under his icy lashes, and the spattering of blood on his coat. 

She swallowed.

“Rey,” Finn spoke up, his voice cracking with grief, and Poe looked like a burden had been lifted off of his shoulders. She turned to Finn, who looked the most fresh-faced of all of them, and she desperately scanned for her father, but to no avail. The party seemed thinned, and she tried to swallow the grief rising in her throat. She had to hear it before she gave it.

“Where’s Luke?” Ben asked, anger and fear laced in his words, but it was evident in his tense shoulders and furrowed brow that he already knew the answer to his question.

Finn glanced around the room, and Rey was sure she was going to be sick. She would be a fool to not know what had happened just by their appearance.

He cleared his throat, and finally met her eyes, an apology lingering in his glassy gaze. 

“The King died defending us,” he bit out at last. “We would have lost more men if it weren’t for him.”

Angered cries and gasps of horror filled the room, and Rey’s head spun, her hand coming to her stomach as Ben placed a steadying hand on the small of her back, forcing her to stand up a little straighter. 

Leia’s fingers crept into hers, but Rey suddenly felt overwhelmed, her worst fears coming to light. 

Ben whispered something, but she didn’t hear it, shaking him and Leia away as she pushed through the crowd, sweeping out of the room as tears began involuntarily to roll down her cheeks, untamed grief taking control.

She was distantly aware of the commotion in the throne room behind her, but the hallway was cold as she began to ascend towards her rooms. Not one person could break through the haze she was walking through. Their voices were distant, and she felt nothing when some of them reached out to her. 

She bumped into a side table, and startled at it, catching the candlestick before it could fall, and turned back to her door.

Slowly, she closed it behind her, the lock clicking shut as reality struck her through the heart. She stumbled towards the bed, and sat down hard as a sob escaped her lips. 

The world seemed to shut down around her. The wind rattled against her windows, and she shuddered as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks. 

She lifted the tiara from her head and studied the crystals, a tear falling onto the delicate silver. Scrubbing her nose, she tossed it away from her, and buried her face in her hands.

In a rush, the sick filled her mouth and she rushed to the basin, and the contents of her stomach emptied themselves into the basin. Shaking, she sobbed as she continued to lurch, the pain too much to take. She wiped her lips with her sleeve and sat back when she was almost sure it had passed, and startled when the door clicked open. 

“Reina?” A familiar voice called, and she ducked her head, turning away from the basin in fear that the sight of the sick would lead to more. “Rey?”

“In here,” she answered, her voice small, and Poe turned the corner, his eyes worried when he saw her. 

“Force, Rey,” he whispered, kneeling in front of her and lifting her chin so she’d meet his eyes. He looked her up and down, and she was grateful he didn’t say much else as he pulled her to her feet and into his arms. With a deep, shuddering breath, she wrapped her arms around him as he kissed the top of her head. “Let’s get you changed, love,” he whispered. 

She nodded and sat on the bed as he went to grab her nightgown from the wardrobe, running a finger across her eyebrow anxiously. Dried tears tightened her cheeks, and she stood again when he set it on the bed. 

He wasn’t wearing his heavy cloak anymore, just a light jacket and his casual wear, all snow brushed away. He looked just as exhausted as she felt, and despite himself, gestured for her to turn. Carefully, he unbuttoned the dress, and helped her step out of it. 

“This isn’t the normal corset you use,” he asked, a question in his voice, and she nodded. 

“The other one was too tight,” she answered, glancing at him as he began to undo it, leaving her in her underwear and bra. 

“Too tight? What–” He inquired, but the second question died on his lips as she turned to face him. She grabbed one of his hands, and guided it to her middle, and his eyes fell to the undeniable, albeit small, bump of her stomach. She heard his breath catch, and he lifted his eyes to meet hers, and her chest was already heaving with the threat of more tears. She nodded at the clear question in his eyes, and lowered her gaze.

He cupped her face with both of his hands, and tenderly wiped away her tears with his thumbs as they fell. She covered his warm touch with her own and a sob broke through her lips. 

“Rey,” he sighed, warm and reverent. “I love you.”

She nodded, and leaned into the embrace that he offered again, warm and familiar, fighting back the cold and unforgiving grief. 

A few hours later, he lay beside her as night began to fall. He traced patterns on her stomach, and she ran a hand over his beard. 

“I can’t believe he’s really gone,” she whispered, the first word she’s spoken about her father since she’d heard the news. She sniffed, but no tears built in her eyes; it still felt so unreal, like she’d wake up and she’d see him in the morning. 

“Neither can I,” he responded, his voice dropping low. His eyes flicked up to hers, and she caught the guilt before they turned away. There was a beat of hesitation before he met her gaze again. “I was the one he was protecting.”

She sighed, grief still heavy in her chest. She lifted a thumb to rub out the worry lines between his eyebrows, and took a deep breath. 

“It’s not your fault,” she whispers, cupping his cheek, beard scruffy against her palm. “He made that choice, and I don’t blame you.”

“Thank you,” he sighed. “But I still blame myself for not seeing it coming.”

“He knew the risks. You both did.”

Poe looked down, his eyes flickering back and forth as though he was picturing something. 

His hand found hers, the simple metal band around her finger as he traced the metal, unashamed at the lack of elegance of it. 

“There was a moment,” he sighed. “Before we departed that night. He told me how much he’d wished he’d said goodbye, we all did, but this was different. In hindsight, it was like he knew what was going to happen the next morning.”

She blinked slow, and wrapped his hand in hers, a sad smile blooming on her face. 

“Luke always dabbled with the supernatural,” she whispered, thinking back to much of what he had taught her of the Force. “We all have. It’s possible that he knew, but whatever happened I trust that it happened for a reason. I miss him. I miss him dearly, but he has put me, put us, on a path that is about to change our lives forever.

“And the fact is,” she put his hand over her heart, and swallowed. “He will always be with us. No one’s ever really gone.”

She wasn’t sure, then, who that affirmation was really for.


	2. In Memoriam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sea of black fabric and a snowy horseback ride.

The door swung open the next morning, and she stirred slightly, her body still pressed against Poe’s, his embrace warming the chill in her bones. There was no howling wind, she noted, no rattling at the windows.

The curtains flew open, and Rey squinted at the bright light streaming in, Poe, too, was beginning to stir. His groan was muffled by the pillow that he attempted to cover his face with.

“Rey,” Rose called, her back still to them. “It’s time to get...up.”

When she finally started to sit up, Rose had turned to face them, and Rey flushed a brilliant shade of scarlet. She nudged Poe, eyes still locked with Rose’s who was simply staring. She nudged him again, more aggressively this time. 

He groaned yet again, and with tired eyes, he peeked up at her from beneath the pillow with a soft smile. It was like all of the pain they were feeling was gone, at least just for a moment. That shifted quickly though. When he saw the look in her eyes, he sat up quickly, sliding out of the bed. Grabbing his discarded shirt, he pulled it back over his head, and kissed her cheek before slipping past Rose, avoiding her gaze like the plague. 

He ducked past Jannah, Jess, and Karé, hanging his head slightly as the door shut behind him with a distinct click. 

Rose smiled at her, if not a little sadly, and gestured for her to rise. She handed her a garment bag as she stood, her legs shaking slightly. Opening up the bag, Rey caught a glimpse of delicate beading on the black gown. The silver gems shimmered regally against the dark, velvet fabric.

“It’s beautiful, Rose,” she said quietly, and her friend smiled, placing a hand on her arm. Rose nodded, and squeezed her forearm before releasing her to go change.

“Only the best for Luke,” she heard Rose whisper as she went.

Hardly any words were spoken in the room as the women go about their morning routine, grief weighing heavy on all of them. Once she had changed into her undergarments, Jannah and Jess helped Rey into the gown while Karé started on her hair. She grunted at how tight the corset was, and thankfully, Jannah caught on, loosening the strings slightly. 

When she stepped in front of the mirror, she froze. The gown was beautiful and delicate, and as Rose made final adjustments, something became clear to her. This was not a gown for a princess, but for a queen. It was far more intricate that what she normally wore to face court in a time of mourning. This time, though, it was different. She was mourning her father, but the rest of the Kingdom was mourning their King. She’d be facing them today as their new leader. As their queen. 

“All set, Rey,” Rose said, her tone falling flat as she stood from where she’d been adjusting the hem. Her eyes met Rey’s, and she slipped her hand into hers. “Good luck today. You’ll need it.”

They dipped into low curtsies as they went, and she felt the nerves grow tighter in her throat. The door clicked shut yet again, and her hands ghosted over the curve of her stomach, before coming to cover her mouth with a shaky breath. She didn’t let the tears fall as she straightened, and pushed forward, her throat tight as she descended from the tower towards the throne room. Her shoes click against the stone floor, filling the ghostly silence of the halls.

When she caught her eye, Connix rushed to join her outside the doors, where a pair of guards stood in solemn silence. 

Clearing her throat, Rey painted a regal face, concealing the ache in her heart, and hoping to avoid another dazed display like yesterday. The weight of what was expected of her now was heavy, but she couldn’t let it show. If there was one thing her father had taught her, it was the strength she could wield with bravery. 

“What do you have for me this morning Kaydel?” She asked, not meeting the woman’s eyes for fear she’d see right through the feeble mask. 

Kaydel fiddled with the pages of the tome she held, and sighed. 

“The court will expect you to speak on your father’s behalf, Majesty,” she paused, as if trying to remain professional. The broken look in her eyes shattered that character. “You must be able to arrest all suspicions that you are not worthy of the crown. Princess Leia asked me to warn you of the arrival of The King of Arkanis, Armitage Hux, and his fiancé, the Lady Gwendoline Phasma from Parnassos, a territory that belongs to Arkanis.”

Rey nodded, a deep sigh filling her lungs. She knew little of Hux and Phasma, had never met the pair, but they were from an allied country, and had remained engaged for years. Arkanis’s affiliation with the Old Empire had once aroused suspicion in her father, and their arrival during a time like this made her uneasy. They were, no doubt, here to catch Naboo in a moment of vulnerability.

“What do I need to know?”

“You need to prove that even though we have lost one of our greatest leaders, Naboo still stands strong. Arkanis is a military nation, and if they believe that we are falling from grace, they will pull their support. Our relationship with them was nearly destroyed by Brendol Hux, and it’s never been a strong one.”

Rey tilted her chin, her gaze drifting up to a portrait of her grandmother, Padme Amidala, the last queen of Naboo before the Old Empire had taken hold. Beside that, a portrait of her mother and father, covered by a thin sheen of black fabric. She could just barely make out her mother’s face, then. Her dazzlingly green eyes and waves of fiery red and a smile she’d never forget, but her other features were too distant a memory to remember.

“If you were to ask me,” Connix rocked on her feet, and Rey finally turned to look at her, her gaze skimming past the military portrait of Anakin Skywalker as well. “I’d make sure to emphasize your engagement, and promise an heir sooner than later.” 

(Did she know? She couldn’t know. There’s no way she could.)

“Thank you, Kaydel,” she said with a smile, hoping it seemed genuine enough. “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“For what it’s worth, Rey,” Kaydel responded, dropping her tight, informative voice for one more friendly. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

Rey placed a hand on her shoulder, and after a deep breath, gestured for the guards to open the doors. 

Standing tall, she entered, and the room, barely alive with whispers, fell silent. All eyes turned to her, and she kept her head held high as she passed the two unfamiliar figures: The man with bright orange hair and the frighteningly tall woman with an unnerving scar, jagged and covering her left cheek and eye.

They didn’t escape her gaze, however. Phasma’s striking silver eyes locked with hers before looking her up and down with something threatening. 

Pulling her eyes away, she joined Leia, Ben, and Poe on the dais. Her shoulders wound tight, she accepted Poe’s hand and he raised her knuckles to his lips. The touch was warm, reassuring and feather-light. She wrapped her other hand around his and kissed his cheek before turning to face Leia and Ben, who looked almost as tired as she felt. 

She might have been taking over after her father, but they still bore a heavy burden. Rey remembered then, that it was important that she wasn’t carrying the burden alone, and her family was helping to strengthen her. 

Remembering the silent crowd, she nodded at her family and turned to face them. 

“Good morning friends, allies, and newcomers,” her gaze fell hard on the cold stare of Hux, whose lips are worked into a fine line. “We continue on today with a heavy heart; the absence of my father here at court is something that none of us had foreseen in the imminent future, but that day has come.” She paused, scanning the sea of black fabric and letting her words sink in. “That being said, these times are desperate. There are many of you in this room that would wish me to deny it. The threat of the First Order is real. They killed our King, and we will not stand for that.”

Whispers filled the room, and it seemed as though Hux’s sneer deepened, his gaze slipping to Ben, who met her gaze with worried eyes. 

“Furthermore, we must show them that we remain strong in this time where we are most vulnerable. The wedding at the week will proceed as planned,” she glanced at Poe, and then to Kes who stood amongst the crowd with cool composure. “And preparations for my coronation will be moved forward. As crown princess, it is my responsibility to fill my father’s shoes now that he is… gone, and I will admit that they are big shoes, but I can assure you that we will be stronger now more than ever.

“We cannot be consumed by this grief,” it sounded, almost, like an affirmation to herself, and she glanced at her feet for a moment. “But we are allowed to feel sadness for him. Luke was a true leader. A hero. A brother. A father. A friend. May he rest in peace.”

“King Luke, may he rest in peace,” the room repeated, and she gave a dignified nod as they erupted into applause. Her chest swelled with warmth, the support of her people filling her up. She’d have to deliver a similar speech to the citizens of the city later that evening, but right then, a weight had been lifted off of her chest.

-

The storm had ceased at some point during the night, receding and leaving behind a peaceful blanket of snow. It was oddly still, Rey decided, as she walked towards the stables on the cleared path, cloak wrapped tightly around her shoulders, a pair of guards trailing behind.

Still, but peaceful. Quiet, save the whisper of wind through trees. 

She had always loved the snow, though. It held a delicate beauty, in the cold and cruelty, the snowflakes sparkled in the light. Stopping, a smile played at her lips as she admired the snowdrops growing on the edge of the path. The white blossoms were as smooth as the landscape, blooming in adversity.

Maybe it was her turn. To bloom, that is.

She had been training for this her entire life, and she had a chance to step up now. Her earliest memories of her father were in the throne room, holding his hand while he talked to foreign dignitaries, listening intently, even though she hardly had a clue what they were talking about. Her least favorite had always been the etiquette lessons, but these days, when her temper often got the better of her, gentle taps on the insides of her wrists kept her calm. It was a technique Leia had taught her when she started to burn fuses easily in her teenage years. Rey prided herself in her perfect posture, the illusion of her height giving her a greater ability to intimidate.

Taking a deep breath, she patted the insides of her wrists as she turned into the stables, leaving the guards at the entrance. 

Sighing, she approached Falcon’s stall, the old stallion still as beautiful as he was in his prime. Han had left him to her after he died, and Ben had loathed her for it. She understood, but it was one of the few things that had remained as a scar on their relationship after his father had died. She didn’t know what that felt like then, even though she had been close to Han, but she did now.

Ben wasn’t much younger than Poe was, only a few months difference, but they had grown up close. At times, Ben’s own ambitions outweighed her own. She often feared he’d challenge her for the throne, but as his time to come of age came and went, those fears subsided. She was much more grateful to have the support of one of her dearests friends than have her cousin become an enemy.

She ran a hand over Falcon’s muzzle, the stallion pushed back against it and huffed, as if sensing her feelings. 

“I know,” she whispered, pressing her nose against the soft fur on his face.

Despite her reassurances to the court that morning, the next few days, she’d be at her most vulnerable. She hoped desperately that she’d made friends with her words, and not enemies.

Shaking her head, she smiled gently at the horse. She wouldn’t allow herself to think that it could all go wrong. 

“What do you say, old friend,” Rey ran a hand over his silver coat, the corner of her lips pulling up slightly. “Want to go for a cold winter ride?”

“Not alone, I hope,” a familiar tenor filled the stable, and she let out a quiet huff. Turning to face Poe, she kept a hand on the stallion’s cheek. He raised an eyebrow at her cheekily, and she shook her head.

“Are you going to help me saddle up, or what?” 

Laughing at her moxie, he turned to the rack, and grabbed a bridle, lifting a saddle up onto his strong shoulder. She unhitched the latch on the stall, and he hoisted the saddle over the horse’s back. He handed her the bridle, and she eased the bit gently into Falcon’s mouth, offering the old stallion a sugar cube which he took from her hand with gentle teeth. 

She turned back to Poe, who’s already mounted up, and took his hand, saddling up in front of him. His body is warm, pressed against her back as he guided Falcon out of the stables. She waved at the guards not to follow them, and they passed through the back gate, into a snow-blanketed forest. 

The wind tossed her curls as Falcon eased into a gallop, their cloaks billowing in the wind behind them. He leaned forward against her, a protective hand coming around her swollen waist as they race through the forest. Stripped trees and blanketed ones alike decorate the sides of the path, which had likely been cleared earlier that morning. 

He was the most skilled rider she had ever known, always had been. His skills even rivaled that of her own, but she’d never admit that to his face. She’d watched him train when they were younger, his mother’s death still fresh as he rode alongside Muran and Iolo with blunted swords and bows and arrows. No matter which stallion he rode, from the most tame to the most stubborn, they would follow his orders with precise dedication to the task. Luke had always sworn that it was the Force, but Poe always scrunched up his nose at the thought.

She glanced back at him as they slowed in the middle of the road, he nodded at her before looking around, and then leading Falcon over the snow bank and into the forest. 

“What… are you doing?” She turned over her shoulder as the horse lifted its hooves through the deep snow.

“Detour,” he shrugged, laughing at the unimpressed look in her eyes, kissing the back of her hair. Soon, the forest thinned out into a clearing that looked over a cliff. Her jaw dropped as she caught a glimpse of the view city below, and Poe wrapped his arms around her as she gazed off. “Think you could do better?” 

With a huff, a laugh bubbled from her chest as she elbowed him in the side.

“Prince Charming has been holding out on me,” she jabbed, and he dropped off the saddle, grabbing her by the waist and hoisting her down beside him.

“Saving this place for the right moment, I guess,” he sighed, a thoughtfulness in his eyes, his breath warm on her face. “Come on”

He takes her hand and pulls her closer, guiding her towards the edge.

“So,” she said, breaking the silence between them after a few movements. “What are we really doing here?”

He chuckled softly, and then turned to face her in full. She cupped his cheek, his scruff scratching against her soft fingers.

“I’ve been thinking,” he leaned against her warm palm, and her chest swelled with warmth and affection. “About us.”

“Oh?” She smiled gently, teasingly at him, and he rolled his eyes at her with an endearing curl of his lips. 

“All joking aside,” he brushes a curl out of her eyes, her skin burning from his feather-light touch. “We are getting married in three days. It’s a day that we’ve known was coming before you could even talk, kriff,” he laughed. “We were never always the friendliest with each other. I still have some scars from where you sunk your claws into me when we were kids.”

_”Claws?”_

“But I love you,” he said, ignoring her retort, his gaze softening as it met hers. Hesitating, he looked down and raised both hands to rest on her stomach. “I love our baby, even if I don’t know them yet. Rey, we’ve lost so much in our lives. Our lives that have always belonged to our kingdoms and not to us. You’ve given me so much, even when I know I don’t deserve it, that I don’t deserve you.”

Her eyes flicked down, and she recalls the night she had sat beside him after Zorii had left. She could see how much pain he was in, and though she had hated how his gaze fell on that woman, she hated even more the pain that glistened in his eyes in the dim candlelight. She didn’t expect him to let her take his hand, but as her grip curled into his, a calloused fingers laced with hers, and his head fell against her shoulder as he heaved a shuddering breath. 

“I don’t want this marriage to be arranged,” he whispered, tugging at the collar of his shirt. “I want it to be our choice. Our life. I don’t want to take you for granted, Sunshine.”

“Poe—“ She stuttered, breathless as he pulled the chain over his head, so familiar and personal, it almost hurt her to see him take it off.

“You know what this is,” he laughed, turning the ring over in a gloved hand. It was far simpler than most rings queens wore as wedding bands. “This was my mother’s. She taught me everything that I know about love. She always told me I’d give it to the right person, even if it wasn’t you. But, force above, it _is_ you, Rey. It’s always been you.”

Nervously, he kneeled before her in the snow, taking one of her hands in his. She felt tears begin to brim as she smiled down at him.

“Reina Jade Skywalker,” he gasped, a little teary-eyed himself. “I want you to be my wife. Not my princess. Not my queen. My wife and the mother of my child. Will you marry me?”

Unable to find her voice, she nodded vigorously, and he laughed, kissing her stomach, and then shooting up to kiss her hard on the lips. It felt like freedom, she thought, like home. 

He pulled away, and lifted the chain over her neck, and kissed her again, gentler, sweeter. She framed his face in her hands, happiness filling her up despite the hole left by grief. 

She ran a hand over his beard and chuckled. 

“You need to shave.”

Then, he laughed, and scooped her up in his arms, and she shrieked with joy as he spun her around.

Her face buried in his neck, she thought of her father. She thought that maybe, love was something that he had taught her. That she could wield strength with the bravery to love. And maybe, that was the greatest gift he could ever have left behind for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you know, my knowledge of court politics is extremely limited, as is my knowledge of horseback riding haha. 
> 
> I have implied that Mara Jade is Rey’s mother, but it won’t be directly stated in this story.
> 
> My head says to end this fic here, but my heart says to keep going with this story as promised.
> 
> The inclusion of certain characters, both described explicitly and in passing, insight conflict that I didn’t have in mind when I started, but here we go anyways. 
> 
> All comments, ideas, and feedback are greatly appreciated.

**Author's Note:**

> Decided to break this up bc it was getting longer than what I usually write for a one-shot.
> 
> Next:  
> Rey and Poe face court the day after the news of Luke’s death.  
> Later:  
> A wedding, a coronation, and possibly an epilogue of sorts.
> 
> Damerey Discord enables haha.
> 
> All comments and kudos are greatly appreciated (especially with the new severs)!! I’d love to hear your feedback or if you have ideas for this lil fic :))))


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